Jax’s mouth dropped open, and she could hear stifled gasps from her companions behind her. “Courting her?”
“Yes, we met one night after a symposium hosted by a group of Hestian scholars. I was at the capital, negotiating some new trade agreements on your behalf, and I stopped in to listen. She was in the audience, and we struck up a conversation.” His cheeks now matched the color of Lysette’s fiery hair. “We’ve been…close ever since.”
Jax recalled Lysette’s fondness for Hestes and wondered if that was the reason. “If I remember your scheduled travels this past summer, Jaquobie, you went to Hestes quite a bit.”
He shrank under her stare. “Yes, Duchess. I may have embellished the necessity of some of my state visits needing to be in person.”
“So you have been courting Lysette this entire time, feeding her information to funnel to her father,” Jax accused with grim anger.
“No! We never talked about matters of state. Lysette can’t stand how it’s driven her father to cruelty.” Jaquobie sounded as helpless as he looked. “You’ll notice how upset she was at your mention of being a reminder of her mother. That’s because Lysandeir beats his children!” His face turned to a mask of rage, his eyes burning with vengeful fire. “That’s right, the monster beats them because he blames them for his treasured wife’s death.”
Jax felt her heart break for the triplets, ashamed that she had unknowingly triggered painful memories with her own words. “That’s horrific, to blame innocent children.”
“That’s why Lysette is so desperate to leave. But her father would never allow it unless the price was right. And unfortunately, the promise of an engagement to a foreign High Courtier is not enough.” Jaquobie colored once more at his admission of his plans. “That is why I wanted you to offer her the post of lady-in-waiting. Lysandeir couldn’t refuse the chance to place his daughter in the confidences of another court.”
“So, you wanted me to name Lysette as my most trusted companion, all so that you could marry her once she was out of her father’s violent clutches?” Jax could not believe she was asking this of her shrewd and rigid advisor.
“Yes, Duchess. At the Aldereen Inn, I told you I didn’t need your assistance finding love, but it turns out I do need your help freeing it.” Jaquobie hung his head.
She looked over her shoulder at the faces of her friends. While they indeed all appeared shocked, she couldn’t help but notice the trace of pity in their eyes. “Jaquobie, why didn’t you just tell me all this was happening?” She knelt, placing her hands over his, which were trembling. “I would have helped you figure out a way to get her out of here that didn’t involve sneaking behind my back.”
Jaquobie lifted his head, his lips parted in surprise. “You would have done that for me?”
She gave him a chastising look. “I’m offended you have to ask, sir. You’ve known me since the moment I was born, and you were one of my father’s closest friends. Why would I deny you such happiness?” Her heart softened as she saw Jaquobie’s eyes fill with bright tears.
“Well, Jax,” he whispered, using her nickname for the first time, “I always got the sense that you didn’t like me very much. After all, I’ve been a little bit of a thorn in your side.”
“A little thorn?” Jax chuckled. “While we may have our differences, you are a loyal and faithful advisor to my duchy. You are someone I trust, and while we may not be fast friends,” she paused, eying the crinkle in the man’s eyes, “I still do wish for you to find happiness. Maybe it will finally melt that icy exterior of yours.” She stood up with a satisfied smile. “I will arrange for Lysette to return with us.”
“As your lady-in-waiting?” Jaquobie asked, eyes filled with hope.
“I’ll do what is necessary,” Jax replied, her face neutral as she made the promise. “Now that we’ve got all that out in the open, I think it’s time Perry and I bring everyone up to speed on the latest events to befall our little peace summit.”
After George placed a few of his guardsmen out in the hall to patrol for any eavesdroppers, Jax recounted the attack on Clouse and Lysandeir’s subsequent appearance. She also explained to Uma, Hendrie, and Jaquobie the growing suspicions she had about Lucien’s true intentions regarding the Cetachi Accord, and concluded with divulging her plan to offer Darian the opportunity to rule a dukedom.
“So, you have been keeping secrets of your own,” Jaquobie said, his slight frown expressing how little he appreciated being left in the dark about the plans Jax and her grandfather had crafted.
Perry, too, looked aghast as she explained her proposal. “That’s why you asked me about my brothers? You were going to have Annette marry one of them?”
Jax waved all their concerns aside. “Yes, but those plans have fallen by the wayside now. Darian will be arriving here after dinner for a private meeting. I will send for Duke Mensina and Annette. I want them to be present as well when I outline the full proposition.”
“Do you think he’ll go for it?” Perry asked, his expression dubious.
George asked the more immediate question. “What if Darian is the one responsible for the killings?”
“I was speaking with him when Clouse was attacked,” Jax said with confidence.
“What if he has someone else doing his dirty work?” Hendrie asked. “That Warden of his is a rough-looking fellow. I ran into him earlier. He almost trampled me as we rounded a corner at the same time. Hardly said a word.”
“What time was this, Hendrie?” Jax leaned forward eagerly. “Where were you when this happened?”
Hendrie scratched his straw yellow hair as he tried to remember. “I was coming back from the staff lunch. Lysandeir hosted it as a thank you to all the staff supporting the summit. We were in a chamber near the kitchens, not a part of the castle I was very familiar with. We collided as I was leaving.”
Jax’s gaze slid to Uma’s. “Did you attend this as well?”
Uma shook her head. “I stayed behind to keep an eye on things here.” Looking sheepish, she explained, “George asked us both to make sure our suites were never left completely unattended.”
“What? Goodness, that’s what our guards are for!” Jax reprimanded George with a severe look.
“I wanted eyes on the inside as well, Duchess,” George said, respectfully but not cowering to her protests.
“I was bringing Uma back a small platter when Maegus ran into me,” Hendrie said. “Left me to clean everything up without so much as a glance backward.” He grunted. “For all Cetachi’s speeches about respecting the common people, he doesn’t do a very good job of it.”
“Did you notice anything odd about him, other than his lack-of-manners?” Jax asked.
Hendrie closed his chocolate eyes in concentration. “Well, I found it a bit strange that the floor was wet when I was cleaning up the food. Nothing I had on the platter warranted that.”
Jax met Perry’s eyes. “Perhaps it was melted snow.” If Maegus had been the one scaling the southern tower, the raging storm outside would have left its mark.
Hendrie shrugged. “I suppose it could have been. Ruined Uma’s lunch, for sure.”
“Where did this happen?” George questioned.
“As I said, the luncheon was laid out in a chamber outside the kitchens, which are in the lower floors of the palace, right under the center tower,” Hendrie explained.
“Lysandeir’s rooms are on the top floor of the center tower,” Jaquobie informed them. “I’ve been there a few times myself to visit Lysette.” He met Jax’s gaze. “The Cetachi delegation is staying in one of the suites in the lower part of the tower.”
Jax’s brows lifted. “So, Maegus could have been returning from Pettraud’s suite to his own rooms when he ran into Hendrie.” She took a moment to consider their next action. “We need to find out if anyone can account for his whereabouts before we confront him. If he’s killed two people already, we need to be cautious about provoking him.”
“But why would he kill
a Pettraudian valet and a Tandorian lady?” Perry asked. “We still haven’t figured out his motive.”
“Well, like Hendrie mentioned, maybe he doesn’t truly embody the morals of this new and free Cetachi.” Jax paced the length of the room, her mind frantically at work.
A knock on the door interrupted their session, everyone tensing with slight trepidation.
One of George’s men poked his head in, summoning his captain. “Sir, Duke Lysandeir requests an audience with the Duchess.”
George shot a look at Jax, silently asking her opinion.
“Show him in,” Jax told the guard, her face a blank mask.
Nodding, the guard pushed the door open, revealing a chastened-looking Duke Lysandeir standing in the hall. Pale and withdrawn, he stalked into the room warily, well aware his presence was not wanted.
“May I help you, Lucien?” Jax asked, coaxing the Duke to speak.
“I thought you might want to see this,” he said, trembling as he extended his arm.
Jax’s eyes dropped to his shaking hand. A piece of parchment fluttered between his fingers. “Where did you find that?”
“It was tucked inside the Pettraudian valet’s jacket,” Lucien replied. “I believe it is a warning meant for the Duke.”
Jax took the note and unfolded it, her eyes scanning the scrawling script.
Reconsider speaking so strongly against the Accord, or this dagger may find your neck next.
She shivered, then read the note aloud to her friends.
Perry came to her side to examine the paper, worry for his father written all over his face. “Someone is threatening him to change his vote.”
Jax looked at the script again, something stroking the back of her mind. “Perry, do you recognize this writing at all? I swear it looks like something I’ve seen before.”
Perry narrowed his eyes while concentrating on the parchment. “Hmm. It doesn’t look like any of the handwriting from the summit notes I looked at.”
“Well, one thing for sure, it’s not the same as the writing on the note Lady Gwen had in her hand,” Jax concluded. “Which means, we’re dealing with more than one threat.”
“But this note is clearly telling my father to vote for Cetachi’s statehood. The note on Gwen issued no such warning.” Perry pointed out.
Lucien spoke up. “Delphinia is already committed to the Accord. Why would she need to be threatened?”
Jax realized that he had no prior knowledge of the note left on Lady Gwen’s body before hearing it just now. “I think I’d like to ask her in person,” she said decisively, tucking the parchment in her pocket with its predecessor. “George, Perry, come with me. Lucien, I think you and Jaquobie should make an announcement that a man has been killed and that we all need to be alert.” Her expression demanded honesty from their host.
Duke Lysandeir nodded in resigned acquiescence. “I’ll ask everyone to remain in their suites and station guards outside every door until we know more.”
“Thank you,” she said, bowing her head ever so slightly. “Send Courtier Roust to meet us at Duchess Tandora’s chambers, as well.”
With Perry and George trailing behind her, Jax led the way to the north tower. Fifteen minutes later, after getting lost one or two times down the winding hallways, she knocked furiously on the Duchess’s door, storming inside the moment it opened.
“Jacqueline? What are you doing here? If you think I’m going to change my vote, you can think again!” Delphinia snapped.
“I’m not here about the Accord, Duchess. I’m here about your lady-in-waiting. Or have you already cleansed her from your mind?” Jax whirled on the old woman, who sank into a chair.
“Of course I haven’t. I can’t get the poor girl’s death out of my head,” the Duchess cried, her milky purple eyes tearing up.
Jax was shocked at the surge of emotion exuding from the woman. “You didn’t seem too torn up about it earlier.”
Delphinia dropped her head into her hands. “That’s because I was trying to come to terms with my guilt, you silly girl.”
“Guilt?” Jax’s ears perked up, shooting looks at an intrigued Perry and George.
“Yes, guilt! It was my fault she was out roaming the halls in the first place.” Delphinia stifled a sob. “I saw how desperately she was flirting with your Captain there,” she said, motioning to George’s trim figure. “I thought I’d play a little joke on the both of them, writing a note asking her to show up at his room.” She cast an apologetic look at Captain Solomon’s drained face. “I may be old, but I still like to cause a bit of trouble now and then. Only,” she said, choking back a sob, “the poor girl died!”
Jax stood there, processing the Duchess’s confession. No one else outside her inner circle knew about the existence of the note. If she was to be believed, then Gwen hadn’t been lured away to be killed. Had the lady-in-waiting simply been a random victim? It would explain why there was no threat issued to Tandora to change its vote.
Jax wandered around the room, taking stock of a pile of papers bearing the Duchess’s seal. She examined the royal signature on the top page. It did not match the writing of either note in her hand. “Duchess, forgive me for nosing into your affairs, but your story does not add up entirely. I have the note you spoke of, but it does not match your hand,” she said, pointing to the pile of documents.
Delphinia bristled. “I find it hard to believe you don’t have someone sign your official correspondence on your behalf, Jacqueline. Why, I haven’t signed my name in years. What you see here is Gwen’s work. I hardly ever write anything down, which is why she didn’t recognize the note as being written by my own hand.” Sniffling, she wiped her reddened nose.
Jax nodded her head with graceful consent. “Thank you for your time, Duchess,” she said before abruptly taking leave, Perry and George hurrying after her. She was greeted by Courtier Roust in the hall.
“Thank you for coming, Roust. It’s good to still see you alive,” Jax said sardonically.
“I’m glad to be here as well. I just heard about Pettraud’s valet. Tragic news,” Roust sputtered, winded from his journey to the north tower. “This summit has been plunged into darkness. The Duke is locking everyone in their rooms for the night.”
“It’s good to know he’s taking such precautions.” Jax breathed a sigh of relief that Lucien was complying with at least some of her suggestions.
Perry arrived at her side, bemused by the quick exit from Tandora’s suite. “That’s it? That’s all you wanted to ask her?” He looked at her like she’d lost her mind.
“There’s nothing more she can tell us. Clearly, she hasn’t been threatened to change her vote, and she’s already on Cetachi’s side. I learned what I needed to know,” Jax succinctly summarized, her eyes sending him a silent request to trust her. “But I still don’t know why Lady Gwen was targeted.”
“What do we do in the meantime?” George inquired.
“What I want is for Lucien to place Maegus under guard,” Jax wished aloud. “But let’s go back to the throne room to see if we can find whose handwriting this is on the second note. I know I’ve seen it before.”
George began to lead the way down to the throne room. “Do we have enough evidence to warrant Maegus’s arrest?”
Jax shook her head. “No, it’s all circumstantial at best.” She sighed. “The dagger could belong to anyone, and a wet floor is hardly incriminating when you realize that this entire palace is encased in snow.”
“There’s still the possibility that Lucien and Maegus are working together,” Perry said. “Just because he brought us the note doesn’t mean he’s not free of suspicion himself.”
“True,” Jax conceded. “He might be helping us in order to throw us off his own trail.”
After arriving at the abandoned throne room, leaving Roust outside the door to watch, the trio began shuffling through the discarded paperwork once more.
“I don’t see anything that resembles the writing on the not
e.” Jax threw her hand out, knocking over the stack of parchment she had just finished searching in frustration. “I could have sworn it looked familiar.”
Perry tossed his stack aside in defeat. “We’re running out of theories here. I hate feeling like a sitting duck while our killer could be getting ready to make his next move.”
Jax looked at her friends with bitter resolve. “We should go speak to Maegus. Confronting him, even without all the facts, may be the only way to put an end to this madness.”
Judging from the expression on his face, George knew better than to protest. “I want to go get some of my men to accompany us. Even with the two of us protecting you, Duchess, I wouldn’t feel you were entirely safe in the man’s presence.”
She agreed to his terms, knowing that as sovereign, it would not be wise for her to be so close to possible danger without more protection. “Fine. Let’s go back to the tower and get them.”
The castle corridors were filled with a ghostly silence as they made their way back to the west wing. They passed a sentry every hundred feet or so, but the absence of chatter and gossip chilled Jax to the bone. The hush was broken up by the sound of swishing skirts ahead. As Jax’s gaze settled to the bottom of the tower stairs, she paled. Seeing the woman’s regal poise and light hair, it took her a moment to realize that an apparition of Lady Gwen did not stand before her.
“Annette? What are you doing here?” Jax asked, more worried than curious. Lucien had promised the guests would remain in their rooms, protected.
Annette rushed forward, enveloping her niece in a tight squeeze. “I came to find you, Jacqueline. Father is in an uproar about being barricaded in his room. He caused a scene while I slipped out past the palace guards to find out if you know what’s going on.”
Jax stiffened in her aunt’s arms, her mind exploding into focus. “Oh my goodness,” she whispered, pulling away to look Annette directly in the face. “It was you they were after!” She stifled a cry of shock as she realized her aunt had been the intended victim of the first attack.
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